Fluid dispensers are widely used for dispensing various types of fluids, such as liquid adhesives. Valve dispensers include actuatable valve stems for controlling fluid flow and are often employed in industrial applications requiring fluid to be dispensed with a high degree of control and efficiency. For example, in advanced applications, such valve dispensers may be incorporated into automated systems in which the positioning and actuation of the valve dispenser is automatically controlled. In other applications, valve dispensers may be designed for handheld use, where the user may grip the dispenser with his or her hand and physically position the dispenser as desired relative to a surface to be dispensed upon.
Known handheld valve dispensers include mechanically actuated components for controlling the rate at which fluid is dispensed. However, manual actuation of such components by a user may result in fluid being dispensed with inadequate precision. Furthermore, known handheld valve dispensers often exhibit inconsistencies in dispensing performance caused by the escape of air entrapped within the fluid as the fluid is dispensed. Such air escape often results in unpredictable variation in the volume and rate at which fluid is dispensed.
Additionally, various components of known handheld valve dispensers are often discarded and replaced by users following one or more uses. Because the components of such dispensers are often formed with robust structure through injection molding and/or machining processes, disposal of such components is wasteful and manufacture of replacement components can be costly, which results in significant financial burdens for the end user.
Accordingly, there is a need for a handheld valve dispenser with improved dispensing capabilities and having disposable components that are more cost-effective to manufacture and replace.